Parliamentary question: Combating the rise in anti-Semitism

November 3, 2015Parliamentary Activity

Subject: Combating the rise in anti-Semitism

In the light of figures indicating a steep rise in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in 2015 compared with 2014, can the Commission please indicate what funding and other forms of assistance it will provide to combating this rising scourge anew?

Answer given by Ms Jourová on behalf of the Commission

The main actions under way at EU level to counter the scourge of anti-Semitic incidents include:

—	Increasing security in the EU as laid out in the Security Agenda by preventing terrorism and addressing radicalization and recruitment.
—	Monitoring transposition of the EU legislation on racist hate speech and crime and assisting Member States to apply it correctly, through best practice guidance and exchanges, training and cooperation between national authorities and civil society.
—	Countering anti-Semitic hate speech online, through targeted funding, monitoring activities and more effective cooperation with IT companies. EUR 5 750 000 have been earmarked in 2015 to encourage monitoring of online hate speech. Within the Digital Single Market Strategy, the Commission is addressing illegal content online. The Commission will step up its dialogue with IT companies on online hate speech.
—	Monitoring the application of EU legislation on combating racial discrimination (2000/43 and 2000/78) and working towards the adoption of the proposal for a horizontal Equal Treatment Directive.
—	Prioritising EU projects promoting European values and history including holocaust remembrance, citizenship education and religious literacy, support for youth and civil society projects and networks.

These measures were also discussed at the Commission’s Annual Colloquium on Fundamental Rights of 1-2 October 2015, devoted to ‘Tolerance and respect: preventing and combating anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim hatred in Europe’.(1) As announced on the occasion of the colloquium, the Commission will also designate two coordinators, one for anti-Semitism and one for Islamophopia, within its services.

1)	On the outcomes of the colloquium, see http://ec.europa.eu/justice/events/colloquium-fundamental-rights-2015/files/fundamental_rights_colloquium_conclusions_en.pdf

Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=WQ&reference=E-2015-012033&language=EN

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